I Thought 'Home' Meant Warmth Nope, Just a Doghouse... Till I'm the HEIR, And It's novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8

My mind kept fading.

Just knew people kept walking by, whispering about me.

Mom always sat beside me. Cried forever.

Dad stopped going to work. Day and night stayed here. So gentle-never felt it before.

Like dolls? When you get out, Dad’ll buy you one.”

Already got you tons of pretty dresses, You’re gonna be a little princess. No more dirty clothes.”

What do you want to eat? Tell Dad. I’ll get it.”

Just say something. Please. Anything…”

ax came too. Attitude totally different. Pouting like he was holding something in.

saw it. He snuck off to the corner. Wiped his eyes.

Doesn’t make sense.

After this-no one to make him mad. No dirty hands touching his toys.

le should be happy.

lowly, I felt warmth leaving my body. Vision getting darker.

Guess… I’m leaving.

Vithout realizing, the whole family surrounded me.

Dad and Mom screaming their lungs out.

hese past days, Dad and Mom gave me more love than eight years combined.

‘m good now.

When the machine started beeping fast, I couldn’t hear anything anymore.

ven the last bit of light in my eyes drifted farther and farther away.

fter I died, my soul didn’t disappear. Stayed close to Mom.

watched Mom carry my body. Step by step. All the way home.

fom’s feet covered in blisters. Shoes soaked red with blood.

ne less person. The one they wanted gone so bad.

ut they weren’t happy. Instead, they looked like zombies. Souls gone.

ad gathered all my stuff.

Mom just glanced once, Broke down sobbing.

Old poster. Three yellowed shirts full of holes. Doll Jax threw in the trash. That was it. That was my everything.

Mom knelt by my things. Shaking. Pulled them close. Blood tears streamed down.

Mommy’s so sorry…”

Jad sniffed. Tried not to cry.

Our sweet girl… went somewhere else. Somewhere… without pain.”

From that day, Mom cried nonstop. Her delusions got way worse.

Every morning, she ran into the streets. Searched for the person who killed me.

“Have you seen a woman? She killed my daughter! I need revenge!”

“Excuse me, do you’

Dad already lost one daughter. Couldn’t lose anyone else.

To cure Mom, he quit his job. Stayed home. Took care of her full time.

Jax grew up overnight. Stopped whining for toys,

He started clumsily copying adults. Tried to hold the family together.

Day after day. Year after year.

Mom still couldn’t make it. The day Dad got sick and couldn’t get out of bed-she jumped off a bridge.

Dad saw the note Mom left him and killed himself too.

After Jax found out, he didn’t cry. Didn’t yell. Just held the note. Stared into space forever.

Honey, I’m going. Leave our son to you. I’m going to be with our daughter. She’s all alone over there. Must be so lonely.”

A year later, my soul almost see-through now.

Probably… fading soon.

Jax really did grow up.

He walked over smiling. Gently set flowers beside me.

“Sis… tomorrow’s my wedding.”

‘Remember? When we were kids, I said you could come.”

‘But I didn’t say I changed my mind. How come you bailed first?”

Smiled and smiled. Then tears fell.

‘You know what?”

‘I never actually hated you.”

‘Just didn’t get it. Why other people’s sisters were so cool and reliable. But mine was… such a mess.”

He sat down by the grave. Looked up at the sky.

Thinking back now-I was so stupid.”

‘Didn’t care about you when I was little. Now that I’m grown-can’t have you back even if I wanted to.”

“Sis… I miss you…”

My steps were light. Then walked over to Jax.

In my last moments, I hugged him tight.

“It’s okay. Sis is here.”